Improvement in boots and shoes



G. C. STEINHAUER. BOOTS AND SHOES.

No. 195,414, Patented Sept.l8, 1877.

H. PETERS, FHDTO-LITHOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON a c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE C. STEINHAUER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOOTS AND SHOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 195,414. dated September 18, 1877; application filed August 10, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE U. STEIN- BAUER, of the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented an Improvement in Boots and. Shoes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a novel construction for boots or shoes, which I call a folding ankle-boot; and it consists in providing the ankle-piece formed in one piece with folds upon each side, so that when the boot is on the foot it may be drawn close against the 'ankle, and secured by a single strap and buckle at the rear.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the boot with the ankle portion extended. Fig. 2 is a view showing it closed up.

A is a shoe or ankle-boot, as it is called, the lower part or foot of which is made in any of the usual styles. The foxing B which surrounds the ankle is formed of one entire piece, having only one seam at the rear, and this ankle-piece is made of such a size as to easily allow the foot to pass in or out. In the lining thereof are inserted the gore-pieces a a, one on each side, which are adapted to be folded inwardly, and secured by a strap and buckle. In order to secure it snugly to the ankle after the boot is in place, this foxingpiece B has also triangular folds 0, made one upon each side, as shown. These folds may be slightly stiffened, or have lines of stitchin g at their edges, so as to fold back properly and lie smoothly inside the ankle-piece, as shown at Fig. 2, and it will be seen that in this manner the size of the ankle-piece will be reduced, so as to fit snugly. A strap, D,

is secured to one side, and passes around behind the ankle through a supporting-loop, E, while a buckle, F, upon the opposite side receives the end of the strap, which may thus be drawn up as tight as may be desired. This forms a neat and expeditious method of securing ankle-boots without the use of any buttons, strings, or other fastening except a single strap, and without making any openings in sides or front on the outer part of the shoe.

1 am aware that gaiter-boots have been made with a single ankle piece having a single fold for the purpose of enlarging or contracting the opening; but this construction is found objectionable, in consequence of the surplus material being in one large single fold, and thrown entirely upon one side of the ankle, the object of my invention being to overcome this objection by equalizing the pressure by folding upon each side of the ankle.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patcut, is-

A shoe having the widened and extended t'oxing, as shown, provided with gore-pieces a or inserted on each side of the lining thereof, said gore-pieces and foxing being adapted to be folded inwardly on each side of the foot, and secured by a strap and buckle, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

GEORGE C. STEINHAUER.

Witnesses:

Gno. H. STRONG, FRANK A. BROOKS. 

